It is the exporter's responsibility to ensure that the animal meets the importing country requirements. Additional information to assist exporters with how to prepare reproductive material for export is available on the Department’s website.

An​ import permit and export health certificate ar​e required.​

Information about the process required to import reproductive material into the United ​States of America (US) from Australia can be found on US Department of Agriculture website​.
Note

Where an importing country issues an import permit, the exporter must ensure the animal meets any requirements in the permit.​​

Exporters are advised that individual states may have additional import regulations. It is the exporter's responsibility to verify these conditions and to meet them. The exporter should contact the U.S. State veterinarian (State Regulations and Import Requirements)​​ of the destination state to determine the requirements.

Health certificate​​​

I, Dr ………………………………, a duly authorised government veterinary officer, hereby certify that:​

2. Animal Health Declaration
   
   
   1. 2.1. Australia is free from foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), surra, scrapie, sheep and goat pox, ​​contagious caprine pleuropneumonia and Brucella melitensis.
      
      
   2. 2.2. Bovine tuberculosis and bovine brucellosis (B. abortus) are notifiable diseases in Australia.
      
      
   3. 2.3. No cases of disease caused by Schmallenberg virus have been detected or reported in Australia.
3. Donor animal/s
   
   
   1. 3.1. The donor animals were born, raised, and continuously resident in Australia or were part of Australia’s national herd for a minimum period of time. Paragraphs 3.1.1 and 3.1.2 describe how the United States defines “part of the national herd” and the length of time the animals must be part of the national herd.
      
      
      1. 3.1.1. If the donors were imported from countries recognized by USDA as free of FMD, then these animals must have been free of any import quarantine restrictions and able to move freely within Australia's national herd for a minimum of 60 days prior to beginning the qualifications necessary for the collection of germplasm for export to the United States.
         
         
      2. 3.1.2. If the donors were imported from a country not recognized by USDA as free of FMD, then the donor animals must have been free of any import quarantine restrictions and able to move freely within Australia's national herd for a minimum of 90 days prior to beginning the qualifications necessary for the collection of germplasm for export to the United States.
      
      
   2. 3.2. During the 60 days prior to collection of embryos (and semen, where natural breeding or fresh semen is used) for export to the United States, no donor dam (and no donor sire where natural breeding or fresh semen is used) has been corralled, pastured, held, or otherwise had contact with other animals of lesser health status or under restrictions which would make it ineligible for importation to the United States under APHIS’ regulations.
      
      
   3. 3.3. The donor dams (and donor sires, where natural breeding or fresh semen is used) have resided in flocks/herds considered by the Australian Competent Authority as free of bovine tuberculosis and bovine brucellosis (B. abortus) and showed no signs of bovine tuberculosis or brucellosis on the day of collection of the embryos (or semen, where natural breeding or fresh semen is used), AND;
      
      
      1. Were kept in an EC facility free from bovine tuberculosis and bovine brucellosis that only accepts animals from flocks/herds considered by the Australian Competent Authority as free of these diseases.
      
      
   4. 3.4. During the 12 months prior to the collection of embryos (and semen, where natural breeding or fresh semen is used) for export to the United States, there has been no reported or confirmed cases of bovine tuberculosis, bovine brucellosis (B. abortus), ovine brucellosis (B. ovis), bluetongue, Akabane, Aino, paratuberculosis, or contagious agalactia in the donor dam (or sire where natural breeding or fresh semen is used) or on any premises the donors were located during that time.
      
      
   5. 3.5. In the two years prior to collection of the embryos (and semen, where natural breeding or fresh semen is used) for export to the United States, there was no reported cases of enzootic abortion of ewes (Chlamydia abortus) in the donor animals or on any premises the donors were located during that time.
      
      
   6. 3.6. In the three years prior to the collection of embryos (and semen, where natural breeding or fresh semen is used) for export to the United States, there were no reported or confirmed cases of maedi-visna (in the case of sheep only), or caprine arthritis/encephalitis (CAE)(in the case of goats only) in the donor animals or on any premises the donors were located during that time.
      
      
   7. 3.7. There was no clinical evidence of any infectious disease in the embryo collection unit flock/herd on the date(s) of embryo collection.
      
      
   8. 3.8. If artificial insemination is used, the donor male(s) was/ were eligible to export semen to the United States at the time of collection in accordance with the criteria set forth in the USDA APHIS "Protocol for the Importation of Goat and Sheep Semen from Australia." located on the APHIS website.
   
   
4. Testing
   
   
   1. 4.1. Tests of all donors was conducted at laboratories accredited by Australia’s National Association of Testing Authorities to ISO/IEC 17025.
      
      
      1. The name and address of the laboratory(ies) are as follows: ________________________
      
      
   2. 4.2. Arboviruses: The donor dams (and donor sires, where natural breeding or fresh semen is used):
      
      
      1. 4.2.1. Bluetongue:
         
         
         1. 4.2.1.1. were kept in an EC facility approved by Australia’s Competent Authority, located in Australia’s Bluetongue Virus Transmission-Free Zone for a minimum of 60 consecutive days before commencement of, and during, collection of the embryos for export; OR
            
            
         2. 4.2.1.2 were tested negative on two occasions for bluetongue virus antibodies, the first test at or near the time of collection (within 30 days prior to collection), and the second test between 30 and 180 days after collection, to an agar gel immunodiffusion test or the competitive ELISA (cELISA) test; OR
            
            
         3. 4.2.1.3. were tested negative for bluetongue virus on blood samples collected at the start and conclusion of, and at least every 7 days for virus isolation or every 28 days for PCR, during embryo collection for this consignment.
         
         
      2. 4.2.2. Akabane/Aino:
         
         
         1. 4.2.2.1. were tested on two occasions, the first test at or near the time of collection (within 30 days prior to collection), and the second test between 30 and 180 days after collection, using the following tests:
            
            Akabane: Negative to a serum neutralization test at 1:4 serum dilution.
            
            Aino: Negative to a serum neutralization test at a 1:10 serum dilution; OR
            
            
         2. 4.2.2.2. were tested negative for Akabane and Aino on blood samples collected at the start and conclusion of, and at least every 7 days for virus isolation or every 28 days for PCR, during embryo collection for this consignment.
   
   
5. Embryo collection, processing and storage
   
   
   1. 5.1. The embryos were collected, processed and stored in accordance with the guidelines and standards of the current International Embryo Transfer Society (IETS) Manual and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) Terrestrial Animal Health Code, Chapter 4.8, Collection and Processing of in Vivo Derived Embryos from Livestock and Equids.
      
      
   2. 5.2. The embryos for export were determined, based on microscopic examination, to have an intact zona pellucida at the time the embryos were placed into its immediate container (straw or ampule) for shipping.
      
      
   3. 5.3. All media and additives of ruminant origin, such as fetal bovine serum and bovine serum albumin, were sourced from countries free of foot-and-mouth disease. Trypsin of porcine origin was sourced from countries free of foot-and-mouth disease, classical swine fever and African swine fever.
      
      
   4. 5.4. The liquid nitrogen used to freeze embryos is new.
      
      
   5. 5.5. ​The embryo(s) were stored under the supervision of an Official Veterinarian in containers, in which no biological material other than semen or embryo(s) of equivalent health status was held.
      
      
   6. 5.6. Prior to export the embryos were stored in a locked area or in the custody of the official veterinarian until shipped to the United States. The final audit of embryos in this consignment was performed under my supervision and the embryos have been placed in a new/disinfected shipping container and sealed with Government of Australia seals.
      
      
      1. Seal No: ########

Attachment to Veterinary Certificate

*Straw Identification: If any of this information is provided in code, deciphering information must be attached to the certificate.

Embryo transfer veterinarian declaration

A declaration by a Department accredited embryo transfer veterinarian is required for assessment of this export.

This template [DOCX 60 KB] [PDF 296 KB​] provides the format for the Embryo Transfer Veterinarian Declaration (ETVD) for the export of ovine and caprine embryos to the United States of America.​​

Based on a protocol agreed in February 2026.​

Entry last reviewed 9 February 2026.​